Apparatus for operating contacts for electric traction.



No. 650,030. Patented May 22, I900.

1 A. BALLANCE & S. A. JEFFERSON. APPARATUS FOR OPERATING CONTACTS FORELECTRIC TRACTION.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1899.) .(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet m: Mama'sversus co.. mo'muma. wnsnmoron, u. c.

4 Patented May 22, I900. A. BALLANCE & S. A. JEFFERSON.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING CONTACTS FOR ELECTRIC TRACTION.

(Application flied Nov. 10, 1899.) (No Model.) 7 4 Sheets$heet 2.

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THE NORRI5 PETERS co. mmou'ma. wunmcrou. n, c.

No. 650,030. Patented May 22, 1900,

A. BALLANCE 0 s. A. JEFFERSON. APPARATUS FOR OPERATING CONTACTS FORELECTRIC TRACTION.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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No. 050,030. Patented May 22 I900.

A. BALLANCE & s. A. :IEFFERSUN. APPARATUS FDR 0020mm; CONTACTS' FORELEGTRIOTRACTION.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1899.) (N0'M0de|.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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PATENT GEEICE.

Aa'rnUR EALLANOE AND SAMUEL AMBROSE JEFFERSON, or HULL, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING CONTACTS FOR ELECTRIC TRACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 650,030, dated May 22,1900.

Application filed November 10, 1899'. Serial No. 736,568. (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, ARTHUR BALLANCE anClSAMUEL AMBROSE JEFFERSON,subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Hull, in the countyof York, England, have invented a new or Improved Method and Apparatusfor Operating Contacts for Electric Traction, of which the following isa specification.

The object of our invention is to construct a simple contrivance for thepurpose of givin g current at intervals, and yet continuously, to anelectric motor fitted to tram-cars and the like, thecar moving forwardoperating the mechanism itself by means of a roller or rollers or thelike attached to the car, ourinvention being applicable for use inconnection with a culvert, bare copper conductor, insulated main andrail, or two bare copper conductors side by side, one divided intosections the length of the car, or for single or double pole surfacecontacts. culvert is not essential, a fiat strip of iron, with a grooveor grooves or the like longitudinally for the rollers on the car to runin, being employed, fastened to the sets or to the track between therails and running the whole length of the system,

Figure 1 is a side view of one of the boxes, showing the mechanismtherein, the box having its near side or wall removed, so that themechanism can be more clearly seen. Fig. 2 represents a plan view ofFig. 1, but with box-cover removed. Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1, butwith near end or wall removed. Fig. 4 is a sectional view throughbox-cover crosswise, showing packed gland. Fig. 5 is a longitudinalsection of the road-bed, showing the contact mechanism. Fig. 6 is a planview of the same. Fig. 7 represents a side view of abox, with leversinstead of plungers for operating the mechanism, as would be used onlight railways having a double track. Fig. 8 is an end View of Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is an end View of lever arrangement for operating mechanism whenthe apparatus is used for light railways having a single track. Fig. 10is a view of one of the studs, showing struts and cam-lever forliftingit. Fig. 11 represents an end view of car under frame with reversibleroller for depressing the plungers.

In the latter case a Fig. 12 is a plan View of the under frame of atram-car, showing trolley, brush,or collector for engaging with contactstuds and rollers for operating plungers. Fig. 13 is a side View of Fig.11, showing the collector-frame in section.

For the purpose of our invention we may employ a culvert of cast-iron orany other suitable metal, material, or substance, running the wholelength of the system,or in place thereof we provide recesses or openingsin the roadway at suitable distances apart. Within this culvert at therequired intervals or within the recesses A we place boxes B, containingthe switch and mechanism,eachibox being made water-tight by means of ajointed or other packed cover 13 and brass or other suitable packedglands B and B where the cables 0 or the like pass through any part ofthe box or its cover.

The switch-contacts D D are mounted on porcelain or any other suitablematerial or substance with suitable lugs or the like for cableconnections.

The switch mechanism within the box 5 if desired, they may be both or,the same length, as also may the levers F and F 9,.-

hereinafter described. Under the jointed levers or brackets aforesaid isa roller I, mounted in'a cam-like or other bracket 1, such rollerbearing on a C-shapedspring 1 which holds the plungers F F up or down asthey operate the shaft E. Also to the said shaftE are fixed themake-and-break contact levers or arms J J. These levers have ends in theshape of vertical studs or pins K K, which pass up through packed glandsB" B in the cover B, such studs being loose on the ends of the levers JJ, which may work in recesses within such studs, so that the said studsmay be free to rise and fall perpendicularly by the action of the shaftrocking l on one or other of the plungersF F being depressed. The bottomends of these studs preferably work in insulated guides K K fall theyleave them and break the electric circuit. The box may be divided intocompartments by means of dividing-walls B 13 7, so as to prevent water,dirt, or the like from getting to the levers orarms, studs, and

switch-contacts, and for more satisfactorily attaining. this objectpacked glands E E may...

be employed. for the oscillating or rocking shaft E to pass through.

VVeemploy a flat strip of iron or any other.

suitable metal or material L, running the whole length of the system andprovided with grooves L L for .rollers on the front and back ends of thecar to run in, the grooves being continued in the box-covers, theplungers F F passing up through holes H H therein.

The trolley, brush, or collector M M is mounted on the bottom of thecar-frame or bogie M? and consists, preferably, of brass orothersuitable metal strips, each collector being formed, by preference,of two metal strips, their ends opened somewhat. The space between thecollectors is just sufficient forthe two strips which constitute it tobrush against its contact-stud K or K when raised, each strip passing onone side of such stud. In the case of double-pole surface-contactsystems two collectors are employed, one'for each stud; but insingle-pole surface-contact systems one collector only'is necessary, asonly one contact-stud is employed; but any suitable number of studs maybe employed, I V V To allow of the car passing around curves withoutbreaking the circuit, the collectors M M" may be mounted in aswivel-frame M (see Figs. 12 and 18,) this frame being suspended fromcross-bars M M on the under carriage or bogie M of the car, thesuspenders or supports M'M allowing the frame to move sidewi'se. Pins MM pass through the supports and also through cross-pieces N N on thecollector-frame to form loose joints.

These allow of the said frame twisting to conform to the curve aroundwhich it is passing.

As the car ro'undsthe curve the col'lecto-rframe as: it engages with thecontact-studs automatically adjusts itself to the curve by which formthe collectors, so that they may open orclose, as required.

On the front and back ends of the carbogie M or" in any suitableposition we attach rollers P P for operating the plunger-s.

These rollers run in the grooves L L each bent spring.

running in a separate groove, and each roller may be mountedeccentrically, so that by twisting it around it may run in one groovewhen the car is going in one direction and in the other groove when thecar is going in the. opposite direction; but to obviate this setting ofthe rollers we may. employ two rollers at each end of the car and mountthem on two separate axles Q Q, set inbrackets or attached todistance-pieces R R, common to both. A rod S or the like runs up fromeach of the brackets to the drivers' seat. The driver operates the rodsS in any approved manner. By means of them he raises one roller out ofthe groove it is in and lowers ...the.other roller into itscorresponding groove,

two rollers always being down at one time,

each running in a separate groove-that is,

one roller at the frontend'of the car running in one groove and theother roller at the back end of the car running inthe other groove.

The brackets at each end of the car, which take the rollers, may bearticulated each to a lever T T, which in its turn is movably attachedto the pins M M on which the collector-frame turns. The levers T T areeach provided with a broad nosepiece at the point where it isarticulated to the bracket, and a bent spring T is mounted on thebracket. The nosepiece of the lever bears against the The pressure ofthe spring on the nosepiece brings the trolley or collector frame intoits normal position when the car 7 is'traveling on a straight line. T

For electric tramways or light railways running through countrydistricts, Wherethe track is railed Oh, we may dispense with theplungers employed for operating the shaft and the rollers on the car fordepressing these plungers as employed for street trainways and insteadthereof employ an arrangement of levers fitted at or near the ends ofthe osi cillating shaft, which is preferably continued through the boxand carried up to or within a short distance-of the rails, thearrangement consisting of two levers F F one keyed onto each end of theshaft E, soas to move only with such shaft, the lever F being preferablyshorter than the lever F". Asecond leverI independent of the shaft, isemployed and is artfculated at F to the rail F or other suitablesupport. This lever F has a pin F at its bottom end, which works in aslot F in the lever F The bogie of thecar is provided with projectinglegs or the like P -'-0ne at either end of the car and at oppositesides. These take the place of the rollers, this arrangement beingapplicable for'a double track where the cars travel in one direction onone set of lines and in the other direction on another set.

. When set for operation, the-levers-F F are in a vertical position andthe lever F at an angle in the direction of the way the car istraveling. The projection on the front end of the car comes in contactwith thelever E and knocks it over. The short lever F mov-- ing in thesame direction at the same time, brings the articulated lever F up intoa vertical position. The projection on the back end of the car as itpasses overthe articulated lever 1 knocks it down, and this as it dropsback to its original angle brings the levers F and E into their uprightposition again. These levers operate the shaft and switch mechanism inthe same manner as do the plungers. I

For light railways where there is only a single track the mechanism maybe so constructed -that the car can operate it whichever way it istraveling. In such a case each of the studs K K is provided with twostruts U U, each of which may be articulated at their outer ends to thewall of the box or to an upright V V, the other ends of such strutsworking in recesses W W on the body of the stud. A vertical lever X,having a camshaped bottom X, is employed. This lever is articulated atits bottom end to any suitable support or the like, and the top roundedparts of the cam-piece bear on the under side of the struts which restupon such cam-piece, the lever of which projects above the box. Eachstud is provided with a set of struts and a lever with an enlarged end.As the car comes along a projection on it comes in contact with thelever at its side of the track and knocks it over, so tilting thecam-shaped piece, which raises one of the struts, which raises the stud.Whichever way the lever is knocked the cam-shaped piece tilts, and oneof its shoulders raises a strut, which lifts the stud. The rocking shaftconnecting both studs lifts the one at the opposite end to the one whichthe lever operates, so that, whichever side isoperated by the car, bothstuds are raised.

It will be understood that many of the parts both of the switchmechanism and parts working in connection with the'same must beinsulated at the parts where there is any lia-.

bility to short-circuit; but as the methods of insulating are so variedit is unnecessary to enumerate these; but we would have it understoodthat we do not claim any particular way of insulating and thatinsulating in any manner whatever will not avoid the scope of ourinvention.

Where the mains are laid in a culvert, insulated bridges are formed insuch culvert for the said mains to bear on, and in the case of barecopper mains insulators are provided over which the bare copper main ormains is or are strained.

Our improvements are applicable in all cases where mains or cables areunderground onesas, for instance, where the mains are laid in culverts,where there is a bare copper conductor or insulated main and rail or twobare copper conductors side by side, one of which may be divided intostrips the length of the car.

Our improved apparatus for street-tramways works as follows: The longplungerF being up in its groove and the car being on the rails, theroller on the front of the car v shaft part of a turn, operates thelevers thereon, which raise the studs, bringing the projections uponthem into touch with the switchcontacts. The trolley, brush, orcollectors underneath the car brushagainst such studs. The electriccurrent flows from the main through the switch-contacts, through onestud to the motor on the car, and then from the m0- tor to the secondstud and switch-contact back to the other main as the car moves along,the boxes being so spaced that the switch-contact in the box immediatelyin front makes con tact electrically before the hind roller on the carbreaks contact in the box it is leaving. Hence sparking is entirelyobviated, current being drawn from the mains to work the motor on thecar either continuously or at intervals, as required.

What we claim as the invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination, with a switch-box l3, and a shaft Ejournaledtherein; of arms projecting laterally on opposite sides of thesaid shaft, operating plungers F F projecting through the top of thesaid, box and connected to the said arms, levers J J secured to the saidshaft and projecting laterally on the same side thereof, contact-piecescarried by the said box and provided with conductors, slidablecontact-pins K K operated by the .said levers and projecting through theboxtop, and projections on the said contact-pins for hearing on thecontact-pieces, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a switch-box 13 provided with partitionscarrying stuffingboxes, and a shaft E journaled in the saidstuffing-boxes of arms secured to the middle part of the said shaftbetween the said partitions and projecting laterally on opposite sidesof it, levers projecting from the end portions of the said shaft,slidable contact-pins operated by the said levers and projecting throughthe box-top, and operating-plungers F F connected to the said arms andalso projecting through the box-top, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a switch-box, and a shaft E journaled therein;of arms projecting laterally on opposite sides of the said shaft,operatingplungers F F projecting through the top of the said box andconnected to the said arms, a projection 011 the under side of the saidshaft, a spring engaging'the said projection and operating to hold thesaid plungers in their extreme positions, a lever projecting laterallyfrom the said shaft, and a slidable contact-pin operated by the saidlever and projecting through the box-top,substantially as set forth.

4* j ma The combination, with a car-frame pro- 1 vided with cross-bar's,of a .eollector frame,

swivel-joints supporting the collector-frame and free to slide laterallyon the said crossbrackets and provided with a broad end per tion whichbears against the said spring, and

- means for pivotally connecting the other end portion of the said leverwith the said collecbars, and collector-bars M M carried by thesaidcollector-fr'ame, substantially as set forth.

'5. The combination, with the car-frame, and the laterally-movablecollector-frame supported by it; of rollers supported from one.

end of the car-frame, forked brackets straddling the said rollers, aspring carried by the said brackets, and alever pivoted to the saidtor-frame, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR BALLANOE. SAMUEL AMBROSE JEFFERSON. Witnesses:

LoUIs E. KI-PPAX, FRED H. RHODES.

